If you like country music please give Jon Pardi's new cd a listen, released today! He's from my hometown and I promise you'll like some of his songs (they're on iTunes). He has 2 radio hits (Up All Night and Missin You Crazy) and I also like That Man, What I Can't Put Down and Chasin Them Better Days

For Firefly it sold out in a month I think. Don't forget there are 3 price points though and the cheaper ones sell out almost immediately.

Firefly is also expanding, not only to a 4 day fest, but in scale, so it might take a little longer (maybe). I like Firefly's lineup more than Coachella, but to me it just seems like a solid overall lineup, with no one really sticking out. I'm not crazy about the headliners. To me, Arctic Monkeys would be my big pull, if I decide to go. The rest of the lineup is pretty strong, from row 3 on down, but Imagine Dragons and the Lumineers being in the top 2 rows is indicative of how many of the big names in music are festing in Europe this summer, and this is coming from a Lumineers fan.

Outside of the top of the billing, I really like seeing Cage the Elephant on there, Local Natives, Phosphorescent, Iron & Wine, Kodaline, White Denim, Amos Lee, Typhoon, and Vance Joy. Total there are 22 acts i know right now that I actually have a desire to see, if I would go, but those are the highlights that stick out for me.

Because Coachella isn't as good of a festival. I'm sure it's nice if you're out in California and don't have to travel far to get there, but if you compare it to the other big music festivals, it is usually toward the bottom in terms of quality music every year. There are even smaller festivals that have had what I'd call "better" lineups. It's nice for Cali folks I think, who are used to being overcharged for everything, but it's price, and more importantly it's value for the price, just isn't competitive with a lot of festivals. I don't know if there's something in the water in California right now or what, but there is a lot of music out right now that brings up themes about California not exactly being a place to be, in terms of creating your art and finding inspiration, and it carries over into festivals, and other creative avenues like this.